Grandsons getting ears pierced

[tzolkin]

Gosh!
Old people having and voicing their own opinions!
The things you have to put up with, eh?
What do they know anyway?

Having an opinion is not the same thing as openly insulting someone's appearance. It has nothing to do with their age. It's rude. Do you typically tell coworkers or other random people that you don't like their haircut? Or shake your head and tsk at their tattoos/piercings/clothes? If you wouldn't do that to others, why would it be okay to do to your grandchildren?

I don't have any feeling about earrings on boys, one way or the other. But, I am surprised that so many have responded on how common it is now and how common is has been over the years. I have known very few guys with peirced ears and don't think I know anyone currently! Apparently I must be living under a rock!! Ha, ha!

I don't see that many men with pierced ears now, but I used to see it a lot more often. I think that's more what people have been mentioning in this thread, that it was more common a few decades ago. My husband has two holes in each ear, but my kids were somehow unaware that he even had pierced ears because he hasn't worn earrings since college (20yrs ago).

 

[Orion Nebula]

I don't have any feeling about earrings on boys, one way or the other. But, I am surprised that so many have responded on how common it is now and how common is has been over the years. I have known very few guys with peirced ears and don't think I know anyone currently! Apparently I must be living under a rock!! Ha, ha!

It was the "cool" guys that got them.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

It's really weird to me that OP had a similar thread about their son 15 years ago:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/i...-to-pierce-his-ears-would-you-let-him.999292/

 

[Donald13]

I find the tone of this post very condescending.

 

[prairie_girl]

Am I the only one who has figured out what the undertone of the op is and fears they were trying to take the conversation a whole different way? I hope I’m wrong, and I apologize to op if I am.

 

[tzolkin]

It's really weird to me that OP had a similar thread about their son 15 years ago:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/i...-to-pierce-his-ears-would-you-let-him.999292/

This was very interesting. Not so much the OP, but how the replies have changed in 15 years.

Nearly everyone on this thread has said it's no big deal and listed all these men/boys they know that have their ears pierced.

The majority of the people on the other thread said "ABSOLUTELY NOT UNDER MY ROOF!"

 

[Orion Nebula]

Am I the only one who has figured out what the undertone of the op is and fears they were trying to take the conversation a whole different way? I hope I’m wrong, and I apologize to op if I am.

Nope, they wanted justification for their stance on the topic. And the simple fact that they asked 15 years ago about the very same thing is VERY bizarre. Regardless this time around it doesn't seem like the answers were what they were hoping to hear. None of this makes sense though.

 

[KingAugie]

This was very interesting. Not so much the OP, but how the replies have changed in 15 years.

Nearly everyone on this thread has said it's no big deal and listed all these men/boys they know that have their ears pierced.

The majority of the people on the other thread said "ABSOLUTELY NOT UNDER MY ROOF!"

I would have said "no" in that other thread because of the age of the ds (OP said approaching teens). My ds was very active in soccer and they weren't allowed to wear earrings when playing.

What I'm wondering is if the OP's ds ever did end up getting his pierced and is the grandson she speaks of in this thread his kid? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Colleen27]

I never cared what my teens wanted. It's their problem if that tattoo ends up looking melted in middle age.

I don't care about a tattoo looking melted in old age. I have tattoos myself and while they're not in places particularly prone to sagging, after a couple decades of sun and aging the one on my back/neck doesn't look as fresh as it once did. My concern as a parent was that as teens they wouldn't have the maturity or foresight to realize the potential implications of tattoo design and placement.

My bonus son is a case in point. His biological parents decided that he was mature enough to do what he wanted when he was in his fairly early teens. He has two very prominent tattoos, both gotten before age 18 with his parents' consent (one of them on his father's dime), both in places that are unmissable if he doesn't go out of his way to keep them covered during job interviews, at work, etc. One of them has a drug theme and he already regrets it, at 20, because he feels like he has to wear long sleeves at work regardless of the weather. But it sounded like a fun idea when he was 15 and his dad wanted them to go get tattooed together

My other issue with teens and tattoos is that most reputable parlors won't tattoo minors, so you end up with a less safe, less sanitary, and/or less talented artist when you go that route. And if you're pondering something permanent, quality should be of topmost concern.

 

[HiStitch626]

My cousin's husband owns a tattoo and piercing company. They do not tattoo minors, even with parents present, as tattoos are so permanent. He advises against large gauges for the same reason. Some gauges stretch the ears so far that the ear lobes cannot go back to "normal". His business does do piercing for minors, even infants and children, because removing the piercing is easy. He did my nephew's piercings.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

For me I only abhor the new trend to make the earring hole HUGE where they wear a stretcher type earring that stretches your hole out, gag, and then they take the earring out and your earlobe hangs, it actually makes me gag when I see it and I don't get that way easily.

 

[rottiemom]

I don't care about a tattoo looking melted in old age. I have tattoos myself and while they're not in places particularly prone to sagging, after a couple decades of sun and aging the one on my back/neck doesn't look as fresh as it once did. My concern as a parent was that as teens they wouldn't have the maturity or foresight to realize the potential implications of tattoo design and placement.

This! I got my first tattoo at 28. My husband and I got each other tattoos as wedding gifts...permanent vows, permanent ink. 27 years later we're still married and my tattoos still look pretty good
However, I have no doubt that what I had chosen as a tattoo at 18 would not be something that I would still be happy with now. My tastes changed a lot over the 10 years between 18 and 28, I changed a lot as a person.

My tattoos are on my shoulder blades and are usually covered. I once had an older woman come up to me at the pool and ask what I thought those "pictures" on my back were going to look like when I was her age. I told her that I tried to pick a place that wouldn't sag too much.

 

[sam_gordon]

I will not pay or condone my kids getting tattoos. If they want to get one once they turn 18, that's on them.

We paid for both DD's to have their ears pierced. If they decide they want to willingly put more holes in their body, that's on them once they turn 18.

I would not pay for DS to have his ears pierced. Sexist? Sure. Still not going to do it.

 

[tzolkin]

I would not pay for DS to have his ears pierced. Sexist? Sure. Still not going to do it.

Curious to know why. Gender norm? Some other negative connotation? The OP and most people on the other thread only have an objection to males getting their ears pierced so I’m interested to know what’s so different than females?

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

This! I got my first tattoo at 28. My husband and I got each other tattoos as wedding gifts...permanent vows, permanent ink. 27 years later we're still married and my tattoos still look pretty good
However, I have no doubt that what I had chosen as a tattoo at 18 would not be something that I would still be happy with now. My tastes changed a lot over the 10 years between 18 and 28, I changed a lot as a person.

My tattoos are on my shoulder blades and are usually covered. I once had an older woman come up to me at the pool and ask what I thought those "pictures" on my back were going to look like when I was her age. I told her that I tried to pick a place that wouldn't sag too much.

What a terrible human!

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

What a terrible human!

Not you Rottiemom, the lady who asked you about your tats.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

My tattoos are on my shoulder blades and are usually covered. I once had an older woman come up to me at the pool and ask what I thought those "pictures" on my back were going to look like when I was her age. I told her that I tried to pick a place that wouldn't sag too much.

I would’ve been so quick to reply, “I don’t really care what I’ll look like so long as my personality is better than yours.”

What a wench.

 

[penn19]

My little Godson had his ears pierced for his first birthday last year. A picture...I *may* have been the one to buy his 1st Birthday clothes, but you'd never guess.

Oh, he’s a cutie!!

 

[goofyernmost]

My 18 year old grandson, got his ears pierced on his first week away at College. Previous to that he got two tattoo's one just above his wrist and a large one on his upper arm. Last week he had an important job interview so he took out his earrings and wore a long sleeve shirt. When he got back from the interview (which went well) it finally occurred to him that if he wanted a decent job there was a good likelihood that he will have to be doing this for the rest of his life. Didn't seem so simple all of a sudden. He is still hoping to be a sports star so I may be no problem before long. If the last few years has taught us anything it is that there is a whole lot of bad attitudes concerning appearances then we ever dreamed.

 

[rottiemom]

Oh you guys are the best

What a terrible human!

Not you Rottiemom, the lady who asked you about your tats.

I would’ve been so quick to reply, “I don’t really care what I’ll look like so long as my personality is better than yours
What a wench.

In hindsight I wish that I had thought to say something like, "wow thanks! I am your age and they still look pretty good, don't you think?"